Whitey Bulger Prosecutor Hafer Joins Cooley in Boston Office (1)

Cooley LLP is continuing to bulk up on trial lawyers, adding former federal prosecutor and Justice Department official Zachary Hafer to the firm as a partner in Boston.

Hafer joins from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, where he was chief of the criminal division. He will focus his practice on complex litigation, white collar defense and investigations, and trial work, the firm said.

During his 14 years as a federal prosecutor, Hafer handled a wide range of criminal matters, including the 2013 prosecution of James “Whitey” Bulger. The organized crime boss and FBI informant was tried ...